Timing belt continued

Thank you for this solution. To clarify the problem, my boy had a compression test at a shop. Do you know what the difference would be if the belt was the problem on good or bad compression? I was out of town and my boy is not clear how to describe the process; I will call but I wonder to be warmed up what the compression test should show.

It depends... I know that for sure, the serpentine belt that drives your accesories would not cause any signifigant differences in your compression upon testing. I'm pretty sure you are referring to the timing belt... and i'm assuming that the motor in the car is the 2.2l l4. If you have any documentation on the compression test, normal compression readings would be about 9.5.1 and that would be at 16 degrees TDC. (that's where your timing marks should be on the cam gears.) If you are getting low compression (lets say 3.5.1) on your read-out, then that means that your timing is definately off. This would not nessecarily mean that the car would not start. It would try to run, catch, or run a bit and hesitate... then die on you. Basically, that just means that you need to have the timing adjusted. If you wanted to self check and make sure that the belt is in ok condition, remove the spark plug wires, and unbolt the valve cover. Remove it and examine the belt for frays or damages.

If the belt was bad or not functional at all, your compression readings would be really high (given that your piston rings are in good shape, and your valves were seating correctly and not damaged) But yes, there would be a signifigant difference, and it would be safe to say that in the instance of really high compression that a malfunctioning or broken timing belt would be the culprit.

Did your son drive it to the shop to have it tested? or was this after the no start problem?

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If the compression test was good, that takes care of most mechanical things.
If you know for a fact the plug is firing under pressure, that leaves a vac leak or a fuel injector problem.
You didn't say what size the engine is or if it is MFI, so I will assume it is.
Depending on when the miss happens, it could be a vac leak, including the EGR valve, or an injector that is not getting a ground signal from the engine computer.
Do you know which cylinder is not providing power ?
Does it happen all the time, or only when the engine is under a load ?

What DTC code(s) are you getting?
You performed a compression test on cylinder #1; did you test cylinder #2?
Compare the readings, if there is a significant difference in compression readings between the two, you may have a bad head gasket, a bad valve, etc.
The bottom line, the problem is internal to the engine.

Has it got a chain or a belt. The belts do break and this can damage the valves or pistons. I have never heard of a timing chain breaking, they usually just get loose and need replacing but they shouldn't give any engine problems. At the mileage though the engine may be worn and may be loosing compression and burning oil. A compression test should show this.

If it sounds like the engine is coughing or rasping through a dry throat while cranking, it could be that the timing belt broke. If this happens, the valves will be out of time and you will not get any compression in the cylinders. Air leaking past half open valves caused the weird rasping sound. This is why the engine cannot start. A cylinder compression test will confirm this. A mechanic with a compression gauge can perform this test where your car is sitting. You need not take it to a shop for the compression test. However, if the test indicates no compression in multiple cylinders, the timing belt is broken and the car will need to be towed.

If the timing belt broke while you were driving then unfortunately yes the valves can get messed up. The piston(s) can hit the valve(s) as it comes to the top of it's stroke. Common for valves to get bent and less common for pistons to crack.

If you installed a new timing belt, I would make sure the valve timing is set and then do a compression test.

I assume the timing belt broke or the cam gears jumped a couple teeth,before your repair shop did all the recent work
So yes, the valves could have gotten bent
The repair shop should have checked that, or they didn't time the new belt correctly ( It could happen) and they caused the issue.
When I read your question again--I think they caused it,you can't prove it though.
You do a cylinder leak down test,not a compression test

No there no way way of knowing without replacing the timing belt, cylinder compression test at this point would not work due to valve's open at wrong time, this engine is a INTERFERENCE ENGINE, but you might get luckly where it did not damage valve's it's happen here at my repair shop, also you don't have to replace the water pump, it is not timing belt driven water pump

If you know for sure you have timing belt set right, do a cylinder compression test, if your belt when bad on you , you could have bent valve, this engine is an interference engine, it will bent valve's do a compression test on cylinder's.in no compression an any cylinder's bent valve's.

First of all, you'll want to perform what's called a 'LEAK-DOWN' test. The assumption you make (regarding Intake versus exhaust) is irrevelant. Interferrence is BOTH intake and exhaust valve clearances.
A leak down or "cylinder leakage" test is similar to a compression test in that it tells you how well your engine's cylinders are sealing. But instead of measuring pressure, it measures pressure loss.
A leak down test requires the removal of all the spark plugs. The crankshaft is then turned so that each piston is at top dead center (both valves closed) when each cylinder is tested. Some people start with cylinder number one and follow the engine's firing order.
A threaded coupling attached to a leakage gauge is screwed into a spark plug hole. Compressed air (80 to 90 psi) is then fed into the cylinder. You don't have to use that much pressure... you can use 30 psi... percentages are the same.
An engine in great condition should generally show only 5 to 10% leakage. An engine that's still in pretty good condition may show up to 20% leakage. But more than 30% leakage indicates trouble.
The neat thing about a leakage test (as opposed to a compression test) is that it's faster and easier to figure out where the pressure is going. If you hear air coming out of the tailpipe, it indicates a leaky exhaust valve. Air coming out of the throttle body or carburetor would point to a leaky intake valve. Air coming out of the breather vent or PCV valve fitting would tell you the rings and/or cylinders are worn.
A leakage test can also be used in conjunction with a compression test to diagnose other kinds of problems.
A cylinder that has poor compression, but minimal leakage, usually has a valvetrain problem such as a worn cam lobe, broken valve spring, collapsed lifter, bent push rod, etc.
If all the cylinders have low compression, but show minimal leakage, the most likely cause is incorrect valve timing. The timing belt or chain may be off a notch or two.
If compression is good and leakage is minimal, but a cylinder is misfiring or shows up weak in a power balance test, it usually indicates a fuel delivery (bad injector) or ignition problem (fouled spark plug or bad plug wire). These are not ABSOLUTE conclusions -- each assumption must be VERIFIED before concluding anything. You mentioned "the lifters seem to be collapsed."... Did you VERIFY this? Since you KNOW the engine is OUT - OF - TIME because you KNOW the timing belt has SLIPPED, then you know you must PUT IT BACK IN TIME... right?...before you can continue diagnosis.... right? Otherwise, what are you MEASURING?